


I’m Sorry

by Rowanmoonlight



Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Remus Lupin Angst, Remus Lupin Needs a Hug, Remus Lupin Whump, Whump, Whumptober 2020, Young Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26878411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rowanmoonlight/pseuds/Rowanmoonlight
Summary: Whumptober day 5- where do you think you’re going-failed escapeFour year old Remus Lupin doesn’t want to stay in his room for his firs5 transformation. The spells on the room aren’t strong enough and he escapes. This is all his fault, he knows it.
Relationships: Lyall Lupin & Remus Lupin
Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956064
Kudos: 10





	I’m Sorry

**Author's Note:**

> I tried my best to write a child but I can confidently say that I’ll avoid it in the future.

“Daddy- daddy I’m scared! I don’t wanna be a monster! Please!” It had been exactly one month since four year old Remus Lupin’s room had been invaded by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. He was driven back, but not without leaving a bite on the small child.

Lyall Lupin, former werewolf hater, swallowed hard as he looked down at his tiny son. “You’ll never be a monster Remus. You are kind and good and human. This is just once a month.”

“But I’m scared!” Tears stained chubby cheeks barely visible below a mountain of blankets.

And Lyall could do nothing about it. He could not take back his words that had made Greyback seek revenge, he could not heal the bite, he could not cure the disease of lycanthropy. He could only hug his son tight and be ready to comfort him in the morning when he was his son again and not a snarling beast.

“Come give me a hug Remus.” The boy wiggles out from under his covers and fell into Lyall’s arms. “That’s my boy.”

“Do I have to stay here?” Remus kicked his feet, biting his tiny lip.

Lyall ruffled his fluffy brown hair, “Don’t go jumping over any walls Remus, or you’ll never be king.”

“What does that mean?”

“Sometimes you have to wait for things to happen and not push or else you may never get your answer. So yes, you have to stay in here alone for tonight. Now, it’s time for me to leave. Can you be a good boy?”

Remus nodded furiously, “Yes, I’m good. I love you!”

“I love you too Remus.” But Lyall left, and the door was locked and reinforced, and Remus started to scream.

The four year old had never experienced much pain in his life, as is common for children that young. But even the attack a month previous where he had been slammed into a wall and torn into by horrible fangs could not prepare him for this level of pain. After several agonizing minutes, where Lyall sat outside the door and sobbed, thankful that he had convinced his wife to check into a hotel, the screaming stopped.

And the howls began instead.

Remus, with the underdeveloped mind of a child, could slightly see what was going on around him that night though still had no control. So with the mentality of wolf and boy melding together, one desperately wanting to be free and to hunt and the other yearning to escape the room and be with his father, the wolf that was Remus tore apart his room in search of an exit.

Shelves of books were torn apart, pictures were smashed, the wall dented from the wolf throwing itself against it. And eventually, he found the window. It was, of course, reinforced by spells. But the magic resistant werewolf eventually clawed right through the spells, shattering the window.

The wolf leaped out, uncaring about the drop from the second story. Small paws hit the ground, rolling head over tail with only a slight whine from the pain. But now he was alone. No pack, no prey. Remus raised his maw to the full moon and let out a low, long howl. The air was empty of a response. Just one young werewolf howling, all alone.

A door slammed open behind the wolf and it spun, snarling and snapping at the enemy. Amber eyes narrowed as they landed on the man holding the stick. He smelled of power and magic and fear. Possible prey, but too strong. Predator.

The werewolf spun and sprinted for the trees. The forest was safe, easy to escape and hide in. But bright lights were flying everywhere. The air sang with the song of magic and the hunt.

Spells hit the fur of the wolf but were simply absorbed. Thirty feet. Twenty feet. Ten feet. Five-

Another light had been cast, red as blood, and managed to make the werewolf stumble. Again. Again. Five feet, just five more, the wolf was so close, Remus was so close, he was so scared, wolves are not meant to be prey but there was no father to protect to him here, only the man holding him down.

Remus thrashed against the strong hands pressing him into the earth. The air smelled of triumph and lingering magic and panic. The wolf scratched and lunged to bite because biting was right, was natural, was what he had to do. No teeth hit their mark but claws dug into warm flesh, spilling metallic blood into the dirt, onto the fur of the wolf.

And then the first ray of sun emerged from the horizon. The wolf screamed and howled and Remus screamed too. They were one and the same as their body ripped apart and reshaped.

“Daddy?” Remus whimpered, gazing up at the man holding him down.

Lyall Lupin had a deep gash across face and several more on his arms. His eyes were wild and his wand was trained straight at Remus. “...Daddy?”

Lyall sighed, deep and tired, and sat back to heal his arms as best as he was able. “Yes, Remus?”

Remus’s lip wobbled and tears began to drip down his face. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I hurt you! I’m a bad boy! I’m a filt’y monster who des, deserves to be put down!”

As he repeated the words of his father, strong arms grasped Remus, “No, son. I shouldn’t have said that. Werewolves aren’t monsters. Just some men are. You’re a good boy, you are so, so good.”

“But- but- I hurt you. I left the room! I’m sorry!”

“That was my fault. My spells weren’t strong enough but they will be next time. Maybe we should get something more secure for full moon nights, something you couldn’t break.” Lyall rubbed circles into the frantic boy’s back, contemplating what to do. Perhaps metal would work. “Come on now, we should get inside so I can fix up those cuts and bruise of yours.”

“Okay,” Remus’s sobs turned to sniffles. “Do I get to see mummy soon?”

“She’ll be home in just a few hours. Why don’t we make breakfast for her?”

“Yes, that’s good. I’m still really sorry daddy.”

“It’s alright Remus. We’ll get through this.”


End file.
